


Let's Dance

by BarPurple



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Cursed Object, Dark Castle Fluff, Dorks in Love, F/M, Fluff, Inspired by Music, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-19
Updated: 2017-01-19
Packaged: 2018-09-18 16:05:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9392657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarPurple/pseuds/BarPurple
Summary: Don't touch the magical objects. It was a simple rule, so why does Belle have so much trouble following it?





	

Rumple stopped his spinning wheel and frowned at it. It was perfectly still, yet he could still hear a tapping, a very rhythmic tapping. He was relieved that there was nothing wrong with his wheel, but the sound was starting to grate on his nerves. He could search every room in his rather large castle to track down the sound, or he could do this the easy way.

“BELLE!”

The tapping took on a new cadence as it came closer. His little maid didn’t walk into the room, but leaned her upper body around the door frame, keeping her feet from his sight. Rumple rolled his eyes; he suddenly had a strong suspicion about what had happened.

“You yelled Rumple?”

He crooked a taloned finger at her; “Come here.”

Belle dithered and the tapping changed again. Yes, he was certain exactly what the silly girl had done, at this rate he’d have to enlarge the Vault and lock every treasure away.

“If its tea you want I’ll run down to the kitchen now.”

Gods this woman was stubborn, was it too much to ask that the help obeyed simple instructions? He snapped his fingers and teleported himself directly behind her. She jumped at his sudden relocation and whirled to face him. Rumple took a step back and pointed at the gleaming red shoes on her feet.

“Aha! Somebody has been playing with my collection!”

Belle looked shamefaced as her feet danced a few anxious steps.

“I’m sorry, they just looked so pretty and they are my size and I thought how dangerous could shoes be?”

Rumple snorted; “I could tell you some horrible stories about enchanted shoes, dearie.”

For an instant he honestly thought she was going to ask him for the stories, her curiosity had no restraint at all. It was tempting to leave her like this for a while to teach her a lesson, but she’d probably spill his tea. He held his hand out to her, and waggled his fingers impatiently when she didn’t take it right away.

“Hurry, hurry, dearie. There’s only one way to get those shoes off your silly little feet and we can’t do it here.”

Belle gave a fast nod and took his hand; a swirl of gilt red smoke later and they reappeared on the far side of the forest where the moon was just beginning to rise over the tree tops. Rumple gave her a little shove and stepped back.

“You have to dance in the moonlight. Well, get on with it, I’d like to get some work done tonight.”

Her feet were tapping, but she wasn’t dancing.

“What are you waiting for?”

“I don’t know how to dance on my own.”

He was a little taken aback at that. Didn’t princesses and high born ladies dance through woods and gardens, singing to themselves and picking flowers all the time? He supposed that Belle would be more likely to dance in a library. He blinked and shook that image away. With a deep and put up on sigh he offered her his hand again. She bit her lip and gave him a challenging look, cheeky little thing. Oh well if it had to be done it may as well be done properly. He performed a perfect courtly bow. Belle managed to still her feet long enough to dip a curtesy in response and take his hand. They began a very basic waltz.

“Shame there’s no music.”

Rumple glanced over her head to see the silvery crescent moon clear the tree line. As the moonlight hit the trees, thousands of tiny blossoms opened filling the air with sweet perfume and gently tinkling music, it was an amazing sight, but Rumple found he only had eyes for the pure joy on Belle’s face. The look didn’t fade as she turned her eyes directly to him. A smile crept onto his face and he whirled them faster, Belle’s laughter joined the chorus of blooms.

She suddenly stumbled against him as the shoes released her feet. Rumple held her for a second then set her right and scooped the enchanted footwear from the ground. In silence Belle took his hand and they returned to the castle in a swirl of smoke.

Rumple step quickly away from her.

“I hope you’ve learnt your lesson, dearie. No more trying on the artefacts.”

“I’m sorry Rumple. Thank you.”

He waved her away so he didn’t have to deal with the strange emotions trying to rise in his chest.

“Yes, yes, next time you want new shoes just ask. Now I feel rather parched.”

She smiled at him, “I’ll go and fetch the tea then.”

He watched her head toward the kitchen bare foot.

“Oh Belle?”

“Yes Rumple?”

“Put some shoes on, don’t want you catching a cold.”

She wiggled her stocking clad toes at him and skipped away to the kitchen. Rumple frown at the cursed dancing shoes in his hand. He honestly couldn’t recall why he’d made a deal for these things, making someone dance themselves to death wasn’t the most efficient way to dispatch an enemy. It was most likely his magpie like tendency for magical objects that drove him to acquire them. He shrugged and sent them to the Vault, well out of the way of curious little maids who smiled so prettily at monsters in the moonlight.

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by Let's Dance by David Bowie.


End file.
